After "Flight Unlimited" last summer, Looking Glass Technologies is back with their second title as a publisher, "Terra Nova: Strike Force Centauri". Described as a 3D combat simulator, "Terra Nova" uses a first-person perspective view that will surprise many by its game play and graphics quality.

Basically, Terra Nova is a good, fast-moving and atmospheric game - which is probably no surprise as it comes from the people who brought you System Shock. My only problem is that, despite the supposed pan-galactic nature of the thing, it's very American - the actors, the accents, even the fact that you get a medal just for being crap enough to get shot (which is very American). Still, you can't have everything.

Despite this, Looking Glass has once again upped the ante on a genre, as it did to dungeon hacks with UNDERWORLD and adventure games with SYSTEM SHOCK, by creating an entire environment for players. About the only reality quibble I had was that the game takes into account gravity effects for projectile weapons but nor air-density for energy weapons. Ultimately, TERRA NOVA succeeds because above all else, it conveys a real sense of being an armored soldier. Given that, seeing the whites of their eyes doesn't seem as important any more.

80

High Score

En gripande mix av action och strategi.

80

Computer Games Magazine

Terra Nova offers a wonderful variety of terrain, mission types, and scenarios. As a building block for a future multi-player addition, it has outstanding potential to be a network gamer's dream. Though the potential of the game still hasn't been fully tapped, I seriously hope Looking Glass will consider a Terra Nova 2, implementing even more terrain, battle equipment, and additional mission types. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to work on my tank-busting skills provided only with a croissant, a simple blowtorch, and those new killer drone packs they gave me a couple missions ago.

Probably the most unfortunate and even shocking aspect of this game is the complete lack of modem or network support. Looking Glass stated a while ago that a multiplayer add-on would appear soon, but has anybody seen it? As a single-player action game, I found Terra Nova: SFC to be well-designed and good for several hours of gaming, but the lack of multiplayer support is a glaring flaw. How popular would MechWarrior 2 have been without at least modem play capabilities? If you are looking for a solid single-player action title, Terra Nova is worth checking out. If going toe-to-toe in a little mechanized slaughterfest with your best friend is more your style, you may want to borrow this one, but not buy it. Terra Nova: Strike Force Centauri receives a respectable, but "room-for-improvement" score of 71.